娛樂圈有一句老話叫“了解你的受眾”（Know your audience）。雪茄制造商埃內(nèi)斯托·佩雷斯·卡里略（Ernesto Perez Carrillo）采納了這個(gè)思路去研發(fā)下一個(gè)新品。他借助Zoom軟件和消費(fèi)者溝通,，了解他們希望在抽雪茄時(shí)感受到什么,，然后推出了一種口味更溫和的雪茄。這種溫和的口味對(duì)于雪茄新手來說很友好,，對(duì)于經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的老茄客來說口味也足夠復(fù)雜。
這款新口味將命名為“惡作劇”（Escapade），一包為三支,，三支的煙葉混合各有不同，消費(fèi)者可以上網(wǎng)投票,，建議哪一支可以作為2024年的限量版繼續(xù)生產(chǎn),。
埃內(nèi)斯托·佩雷斯·卡里略說，我很高興能研發(fā)出這些新的煙葉混合,，我覺得創(chuàng)造出一款較為溫和的煙葉混合對(duì)于我來說可能是一種挑戰(zhàn),，因?yàn)槲抑安]有擅長(zhǎng)制作溫和雪茄而出名,。我始終牢記消費(fèi)者在雪茄中尋找的東西，同時(shí)參考眼下雪茄客喜歡的口味復(fù)雜性,，為消費(fèi)者提供一款可以日常抽茄的選擇,。
雪茄是在卡里略自己的聯(lián)盟雪茄廠生產(chǎn)的，雪茄廠位于多米尼加,。三支雪茄的尺寸一樣,，52環(huán)徑，6英寸,。目前關(guān)于煙葉混合成分唯一透露的是茄衣煙葉,，一支使用了尼加拉瓜的科羅霍99煙葉，一支使用了厄瓜多爾康涅狄格煙葉,，一支使用了厄瓜多爾哈瓦那煙葉,。每支雪茄佩戴不同顏色的煙標(biāo)來區(qū)分。
如何獲得這款一包三支的Escapade,？消費(fèi)者在11月1日到12月31日之間購(gòu)買一盒卡里略的雪茄,，將購(gòu)買雪茄的收據(jù)照片發(fā)送到[email protected].，前1000個(gè)消費(fèi)者將可以獲得Escapade,，每一包雪茄商都印制一個(gè)二維碼,，消費(fèi)者可以投票，選擇他們喜歡的口味,，明年公司將會(huì)將勝出的這款雪茄再次生產(chǎn),，推出限量版，預(yù)計(jì)明年2月份推出,。
卡里略的女兒利塞特（Lissette Perez Carrillo）在Zoom會(huì)議里和消費(fèi)者溝通,，讓他們了解雪茄之旅。她說,，Escapade雪茄是一個(gè)非常有趣的項(xiàng)目,，我們預(yù)計(jì)新茄客和老茄客都會(huì)喜歡這些煙葉混合配方，我們將傾聽消費(fèi)者的聲音,，和他們接觸,，幫助他們提升抽茄體驗(yàn)。
這種請(qǐng)消費(fèi)者投票參與公司下一個(gè)類型雪茄的方式不是卡里略公司第一次采用了,，之前的Platinum Bash（鉑青銅）,、Pledge Lonsdale Limitada（誓約朗斯代爾限量版）都是根據(jù)消費(fèi)者的意見和反饋推出的，前者是根據(jù)顧客的投票選出的,，后者是滿足消費(fèi)者對(duì)較細(xì)口徑雪茄的需求而推出的,。
In the world of showbiz, there is an old expression that goes, “Know your audience.” Cigarmaker Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has taken this approach to help craft his next release. Called Escapade, the release will be a pack of three cigars, each with a different blend, which he created through consumer feedback. Consumers can go online and vote to determine which version of Escapade will return in 2024 as a limited edition.
The cigarmaker spoke with customers via Zoom to ask them what they were looking for in a cigar and then set out to create something milder, a cigar meant to be approachable for those new to the world of cigars but also complex enough for seasoned smokers.
“I was excited to work on these blends because I felt challenged to create a mild cigar that perhaps I am not known for. I kept in mind what beginning smokers are looking for in a cigar, while at the same time staying true to the complexity our current smokers enjoy, to offer them an alternative to our regular lines,” says Perez-Carrillo.
The cigars are rolled at Perez-Carrillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic. Each is the same size—a 6-by-52 toro. The only blend details that are being disclosed at this time are the wrappers: One is rolled with a Nicaragua Corojo ‘99 cover leaf, the second is cloaked in Ecuador Connecticut, and the third wears a leaf of Ecuador Habano. Each cigar comes with a differently colored band to distinguish them.
To obtain an Escapade three-pack requires the purchase of a box of E.P. Carrillo cigars. To get one, consumers must either attend an E.P. Carrillo Escapade event (which are taking place between November 1 and December 31) or by sending a photo of a box-purchase receipt to [email protected]. Only 1,000 three-packs are to be released. Each three-pack contains a QR code allowing consumers to vote, with the winner returning next year as a limited edition of 1,000 boxes. The most popular blend of Escapade is expected to release around mid-February.
Lissette Perez-Carrillo, Ernesto’s daughter, will be hosting additional Zoom sessions to connect directly with consumers. These sessions are aimed at learning about their cigar journeys and what led consumers to their first cigar. “The E.P. Carrillo Escapade has been such a fun project. We anticipate that new smokers and seasoned smokers alike will enjoy these blends,” she says. “We have made it a priority to listen and engage with consumers to elevate their smoking experience.”
This is not the first time Perez-Carrillo has had customers help decide on a new cigar. Other fan-voted limited releases include the E.P. Carrillo Platinum Bash, whose blend was chosen by customers voting on their favorite blend and the Pledge Lonsdale Limitada, which was created in response to demand for a cigar with a smaller ring gauge that was still big on flavor.
